1. Technical Field
The present apparatus relates to a specimen retrieval container for use in minimally invasive procedures and a method for using same.
2. Background of the Related Art
Minimally invasive surgical and diagnostic procedures, such as laparoscopic (in the abdomen) and other endoscopic procedures, are carried out within the body using elongated instruments inserted through small entrance openings in the body. The initial opening in the body to allow passage of instruments to the interior of the body may be a natural passageway of the body, or it may be created by a tissue piercing instrument such as a trocar. Minimally invasive procedures are often performed in insufflated body cavities, thereby requiring that any instrumentation inserted in the body be sealed to prevent unacceptable losses in insufflatory fluid/gas, i.e. provision must be made to ensure that gases or other fluids do not enter or exit the body through the instrument or the entrance incision. Mechanical actuation of such instruments is for the most part constrained to movement of the various components along a longitudinal axis with mechanisms provided to convert longitudinal movement to lateral movement, where necessary.
In laparoscopic procedures, a cannula is typically inserted through the entrance incision to provide both a seal and a passageway for the operating instrumentation, e.g., the cannulas described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,902,280, 5,030,206, and 5,127,909. In most laparoscopic procedures, multiple cannulas are employed to provide access for operating instrumentation and viewing/illumination instrumentation, e.g., a laparoscope.
Minimally invasive diagnostic and surgical procedures are generally less invasive and cause less trauma to the patient as compared to procedures in which the surgeon is required to cut open large areas of body tissue. In addition, minimally invasive procedures generally allow the patient to recover more quickly, thereby reducing required hospital stays and speeding the patient's return to normal activities.
Minimally invasive procedures are often used to partially or totally remove body tissue or organs from the interior of the body, e.g. nephrectomy, cholecystectomy and other such procedures. During such procedures, it is common that a cyst, tumor, or other affected tissue or organ must be removed via the cannula. Various entrapment devices are known to facilitate this procedure.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,521 to Cochran discloses an entrapment envelope having an apparatus for opening and closing, the apparatus being controlled from outside the body cavity. The entrapment envelope is constructed of flexible, low bulk material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,371 to Washington, deceased et al. discloses a device for in situ collection of surgically excised material for removal from the body, particularly in laparoscopic and surgical procedures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,237 to Chin et at. relates to a method and system for removing a specimen from a body cavity which includes an elongated expandable tubular member with a sealed interior. The tubular member is inserted through a trocar sheath and generally includes a morcellator therewithin to reduce the size of the specimen, e.g., by cutting or tearing the specimen into smaller fragments.
Other entrapment type devices for specimen retrieval in minimally invasive surgical procedures are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,143,082, 5,074,867, 5,037,379, and 5,156,477.
Although entrapment devices such as those mentioned above are useful, a need remains for a simpler way to remove specimens of body tissue during minimally invasive diagnostic and/or surgical procedures.